A Strategic Response to the Broad Spectrum of Internet Abuse

Abstract

The primary responsibility of the Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) is to protect online consumer privacy by developing an organization's privacy policy and ensuring compliance with privacy laws and regulations. However, the explosive growth of Internet use for business has brought about an escalation of concerns including reduced consumer confidence in Internet-related business activities, risk of financial loss, and legal liability from sources categorized as external and internal to the organization. Does the new CPO position provide adequate consideration of the increasing risks? This article discusses the far-reaching types of misconduct and risks organizations face. the article concludes by proposing the strategic response of an expanded role for the CPO. in addition to overseeing Internet privacy issues, the newly defined role of Chief Privacy and Integrity Officer (CPIO) would encompass Internet integrity. This entails formulating or reformulating an expressed Internet use policy, undertaking ongoing training and other means to maintain awareness of issues, monitoring internal sources, implementing defenses against external sources, and securing adequate liability insurance. the effectiveness of this new role, in overseeing these responsibilities, would be determined by assessing current operations, implementing proactive measures to reduce potential misuse, and continuously keeping abreast of technological advances, legislative and regulatory initiatives, and new areas of vulnerability.